Schumer wants New York maple syrup in IHOP restaurants

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer said the International House of Pancakes restaurant in Vermont is offering Vermont maple syrup, so why not give customers a chance to have New York maple syrup on their pancakes in this state?

He’s written IHOP CEO Julia Stewart suggesting that she do just that. There was no immediate response from IHOP.

“Offering this option in New York would be a sweet deal for customers and maple tappers across the state,” Schumer said. “A deal like this would open up a new market for our state’s maple tappers, while also whetting New Yorkers’ appetites for more New York maple syrup.”

The IHOP restaurant in Vermont, which opened just last month, is the only one of the company’s 1,400 restaurants in the United States, Canada and Mexico to offer real maple syrup, Schumer said.

Schumer has been a strong proponent of maple syrup. He introduced legislation last year to encourage private landowners to make their trees available for tapping. IHOP has 44 restaurants in New York state, according to its Web site.